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Letters to priest provide rare insight into life of Jackie Kennedy
Irish Times ^ | May 12, 2014 | Michael Parsons

Posted on 05/13/2014 9:48:15 AM PDT by NYer


Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy’s thoughts about her marriage to , their life in the and her reaction to his assassination are revealed in newly discovered letters she wrote to an Irish priest before and after she became first lady of the United States.

The archive of her 14-year-long correspondence with – a Vincentian priest who lived in in in Dublin – will be sold at an auction in Ireland next month.

In the previously unpublished letters, Jackie tells Fr Leonard how Kennedy, who was then a rising star in American politics, was consumed by ambition “like Macbeth”.

In a letter sent in July 1952, she said her time with him had given her “an amazing insight on politicians – they really are a breed apart”.

She described with great excitement how she was in love with “the son of the ambassador to England”, but expressed concern he might prove to be like her father, John Vernou Bouvier.

“He’s like my father in a way – loves the chase and is bored with the conquest – and once married needs proof he’s still attractive, so flirts with other women and resents you. I saw how that nearly killed Mummy.”


‘Men of Destiny’
In a letter written in 1953, when she was still only 23, she confided to Fr Leonard: “Maybe I’m just dazzled and picture myself in a glittering world of crowned heads and Men of Destiny– and not just a sad little housewife . . . That world can be very glamorous from the outside – but if you’re in it – and you’re lonely – it could be a Hell.”

However, after a year of marriage she wrote to him: “I love being married much more than I did even in the beginning.”

After her husband’s assassination in 1963, she confided to Fr Leonard how she became “bitter against God” and struggled to find comfort in her deep Catholic faith.

“I have to think there is a God – or I have no hope of finding Jack again.” She added, with bittersweet humour: “God will have a bit of explaining to do to me if I ever see Him.”

Although her public life has been subject to the most intense scrutiny, Jackie didn’t publish an autobiography and no memoir appeared after her death in 1994 at the age of 64.

Her obituary in the New York Times noted that “her silence about her past, especially about the Kennedy years and her marriage to the president, was always something of a mystery”.

The archive of letters to Fr Leonard has been consigned to in Durrow, Co Laois.

Spokesman Philip Sheppard said the letters were “the dream find of a lifetime for an auctioneer” and they included “simply astounding fresh insights that transform our understanding of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy”.

He said: “They are, in effect, her autobiography for the years 1950-1964.”


TOPICS: Catholic; History; Religion & Politics
KEYWORDS: jackie; jackiekennedy; jfk; kennedy
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1 posted on 05/13/2014 9:48:15 AM PDT by NYer
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To: Tax-chick; GregB; Berlin_Freeper; SumProVita; narses; bboop; SevenofNine; Ronaldus Magnus; tiki; ...

Video at above link. Ping!


2 posted on 05/13/2014 9:48:49 AM PDT by NYer ("You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears." James 4:14)
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To: NYer

“I have to think there is a God – or I have no hope of finding Jack again.”

Sorry, Jackie, but Jack may have a lot of women surrounding him, and they will probably all be scantily clad, to match the locale...


3 posted on 05/13/2014 9:52:09 AM PDT by Mr Rogers (I sooooo miss America!)
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To: NYer

She described with great excitement how she was in love with “the son of the ambassador to England”, but expressed concern he might prove to be like her father, John Vernou Bouvier.

“He’s like my father in a way – loves the chase and is bored with the conquest – and once married needs proof he’s still attractive, so flirts with other women and resents you. I saw how that nearly killed Mummy.”

 

No surprise. Girls grow up to marry a man like dear old daddy.

4 posted on 05/13/2014 9:53:22 AM PDT by Responsibility2nd (NO LIBS. This Means Liberals and (L)libertarians! Same Thing. NO LIBS!!)
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To: Mr Rogers

Yep, I could imagine Jack when Jackie died, going “Oh crap, the party’s over.”


5 posted on 05/13/2014 9:54:01 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: NYer

JFK committed adultery two or three times a day. And I think everyone in the White House knew it. That couldn’t have been easy for Jackie to deal with.

Meanwhile, the press covered up for him, and went on and on and on about Camelot. Sickening.


6 posted on 05/13/2014 9:57:00 AM PDT by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: NYer
"Her obituary in the New York Times noted that “her silence about her past, especially about the Kennedy years and her marriage to the president, was always something of a mystery”. "

That's called CLASS and DIGNITY, something The New York Times would naturally be unfamiliar with.

Not everyone feels the need to whore out themselves and their personal problems all over the media.

7 posted on 05/13/2014 9:57:57 AM PDT by Mr. K (If you like your constitution, you can keep it...Period. PALIN/CRUZ 2016)
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To: NYer

I bet she thought those letters were private.


8 posted on 05/13/2014 9:59:28 AM PDT by BykrBayb (Wagglebee please come home we miss you! ~ Þ)
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To: NYer

she was a high priced whore. plain and simple.


9 posted on 05/13/2014 9:59:58 AM PDT by llevrok
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To: BykrBayb

It doesn’t seem right to publicize them IMO.


10 posted on 05/13/2014 10:04:45 AM PDT by MomofMarine
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To: NYer
Her obituary in the New York Times noted that “her silence about her past, especially about the Kennedy years and her marriage to the president, was always something of a mystery”.

Gee, I can't imagine why! Maybe because the media was protecting her and didn't ask any questions?!

11 posted on 05/13/2014 10:04:59 AM PDT by kcvl
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To: llevrok

“she was a high priced whore. plain and simple.”

Arguably, one of the few members of what PJ O’ROurke dubbed “the bog trotters circus” who was not a walking, talking example of bad behavior.


12 posted on 05/13/2014 10:05:07 AM PDT by GladesGuru (Islam Delenda Est - because of what Islam is and because of what Muslims do.)
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To: BykrBayb
I bet she thought those letters were private.

Right. Either the church or her kids released them. Its not a good statement about the ones who did.

13 posted on 05/13/2014 10:05:43 AM PDT by Opinionated Blowhard ("When the people find they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.")
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To: Cicero
Meanwhile, the press covered up for him, and went on and on and on about Camelot. Sickening.

Exactly!

14 posted on 05/13/2014 10:05:48 AM PDT by kcvl
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To: NYer

I dont’ think the letters should have been released. However, nothing quoted reflects poorly on her. She was a young girl reflecting on marriage in a fairly mature way. And the statements after Jack died were appropriate.


15 posted on 05/13/2014 10:08:27 AM PDT by Opinionated Blowhard ("When the people find they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.")
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To: Mr Rogers

judge not.


16 posted on 05/13/2014 10:08:40 AM PDT by Vaquero (Don't pick a fight with an old guy. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.)
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To: Cicero
JFK committed adultery two or three times a day.
I don't disagree that he was an adulterer, or that the press covered for him.
But I'm thinking that two or three times a day is quite the exaggeration.
17 posted on 05/13/2014 10:13:44 AM PDT by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
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To: BykrBayb

Nixon thought the tapes were his property and would be kept secret as well


18 posted on 05/13/2014 10:18:47 AM PDT by shadeaud (Be strong when you are weak.)
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To: MomofMarine

I tend to agree…although not in the context of a confessional it seems that private correspondence with a priest should be kept confidential…I’m sure the priest would be horrified that these personal communications are being “ sold to the highest bidder.”

That being said, Jackie knew the kind of man she was marrying and married him anyway. Jack actually dated her older sister before her and entered the bathroom in her home where he knew she was bathing. He took one look at her and said something to the effect of “ You will do nicely in my bed” Women will always be attracted to powerful men even if they are morally corrupt.


19 posted on 05/13/2014 10:22:13 AM PDT by longfellowsmuse (last of the living nomads)
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To: Mr. K
That's called CLASS and DIGNITY

And GRACE. Don't forget GRACE. :-)

(Hope the hotlink works).

20 posted on 05/13/2014 10:28:06 AM PDT by Larry Lucido
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